Shloka 44

Devanagari script

तेन सत्त्ववता संख्ये शूरेणाहवशोभिना । कृतिना समरे राजन्‌ संधिर्भवतु मा चिरम्‌,“तात! पाण्डुपुत्र अर्जुनको युद्धमें किसी प्रकार भी जीतना असम्भव है। जिन महामनस्वी पुरुषके ये अलौकिक कर्म प्रत्यक्ष दिखायी देते हैं; जो धैर्यवान्‌, युद्धमें शूरता दिखानेवाले तथा संग्राममें सुशोभित होनेवाले हैं, राजन्‌! उन अस्त्र-विद्याके विद्वान्‌ अर्जुनके साथ इस समरभूमिमें तुम्हारी शीघ्र संधि हो जानी चाहिये। इसमें विलम्ब न हो

Transliteration

tena sattvavatā saṅkhye śūreṇāhavaśobhinā | kṛtinā samare rājan sandhir bhavatu mā ciram ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “O King, let there be a swift peace with that courageous Arjuna on this battlefield—heroic, resplendent in combat, and accomplished in war. Do not delay. Against him, victory in battle is not truly possible; therefore, prudence and dharma counsel timely reconciliation rather than prolonged destruction.”

Word by Word

तेनby him/with him

सत्त्ववताby the courageous/steadfast one

संख्येin battle

शूरेणby the hero

आहव-शोभिनाby him who is splendid in combat

कृतिनाby the accomplished/able one

समरेin the battle

राजन्O king

सन्धिःpeace/treaty

भवतुlet it be / may it happen

माnot (prohibitive/negative particle)

चिरम्for long / long time

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Arjuna

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When a conflict is clearly ruinous and the opponent is demonstrably superior, dharma and wise statecraft favor timely peace (sandhi) over stubborn escalation that multiplies suffering.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya addresses King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, urging him not to delay and to seek a quick treaty with Arjuna, whom he describes as courageous, brilliant in combat, and highly accomplished—implying that defeating him is unrealistic.